


A Chance Crossing

by Immicolia



Series: Past Meeting AU [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: AU where these losers meet as teenagers, Angst, Gen, entirely speculative backstory even without the AU stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 21:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14656494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Immicolia/pseuds/Immicolia
Summary: After Jin goes missing, Shoichi takes it upon himself to sneak out at night to look for him, no matter how stupid and risky that idea may be.





	A Chance Crossing

Shoichi remembers Zaizen Akira.

Yusaku doesn't know and Shoichi is still deciding if he should tell him. It was so long ago that it all seems irrelevant now, but he remembers. The nights just after Jin disappeared (was snatched away) when he would sneak out of the house to search for him. Heading into shadowed places and offering to work in exchange for information, anything anyone might have heard or seen and at the time it doesn't occur to him that he's likely putting himself at risk. He doesn't even care. He simply needs to find Jin. Maybe then everything will go back to normal and the house (and his parents) won't be so still and cold all the time.

They're angling for the same job when he meets Zaizen the first time. A job that neither of them manage to land, the girl who does far more quick and clever than both them put together, and he finds himself stealing sidelong glances at the boy as they walk side by side down a narrow stairwell on the way out.

Zaizen (although Shoichi didn't know his name just yet) seems impeccably put together in a uniform Shoichi recognizes as being from one of Den City's private schools and "rich kid slumming for a thrill" is the first thing he thinks.

Then he sees the girl waiting by the door and his breath catches in his throat for a moment before escaping in an angry hiss.

She can't be much older than five or six and she hurries to the other boy's side. Tightly gripping his hand and he smiles ("Sorry to make you wait, Aoi." "S'okay.") and all Shoichi can think is a wild mantra of "what the fuck what the fuck what is he _thinking_?"

Jin had been snatched in broad daylight, at the mall. No one had seen. No one knew anything. One minute he was there, the next he was gone. That's how easily it had happened and if Shoichi had been paying more attention. If he had watched a little closer. If, if, if....

"If" doesn't matter because Jin is gone, vanished in an eyeblink, and yet here's this asshole bringing a little girl with him down into the gutter in the middle of the night?

It isn't fair.

He snaps, "What the _hell_ , man?" before he can stop himself and the boy goes stiff and still, frowning at him, but Shoichi is too furious to be daunted. "What are you doing bringing at kid out here?"

"In case you haven't noticed you're also a kid and out here."

"You know what I mean!" He can't even be pissed about being called a kid. At any other moment maybe, but right now his mind is a rolling mess that keeps conjuring up that stomach churning moment when he'd realized that Jin was gone.

"I do, but it's none of your business." His voice is tight and proper and even though the other boy is taller and likely has a couple years on him, Shoichi still wants to deck him just for being such a stupid prick.

"It should be somebody's. Do you have any idea what could've happened to her out here alone?"

"More than you know." He turns towards the suited man by the door who'd let Shoichi into the building when he'd arrived and nods in acknowledgement, or maybe thanks given his next words.

"Not that I need to explain myself to you, but I've done a lot of work for this particular family in the past even if I can't manage to land every job. They're kind enough to accommodate my... situation."

Shoichi is about to snap something else when it begins to sink in just how rumpled that fancy uniform is. Stained and a little frayed around the cuffs and the boy's expression is pinched and exhausted, like he spends more time worrying than sleeping. Shoichi ultimately muttering, "It's still stupid," after a moment of strained silence.

"I know, but there's nowhere else she can stay right now."

The second time they cross paths is a week later and this time they finally exchange names. Or more Shoichi introduces himself and prods until Zaizen does the same in turn.

It's not that he's interested, but if Zaizen really is a street kid it's possible he's heard something and without any preamble Shoichi pulls a photo (him and Jin beaming at the camera and he never looks at it too closely any more, it just makes his chest ache) out of his pocket. His voice far more hopeful than he wants it to be when he asks, "My brother went missing a while ago. Have you seen him?"

To his credit Zaizen studies it carefully before shaking his head. "No. Although I suppose that explains why you were so agitated over seeing Aoi."

"Where is she?" The small, silent, girl nowhere in sight and an odd sort of anxiety creeps up Shoichi's spine until Zaizen replies.

"I managed to pull together enough to rent a room for a month. It's above a bar; the owner keeps an eye on her while I work." He pulls an old flip phone from his pocket to check the time and sighs. "I should get back. Even with someone there I don't like to leave her alone."

"Yea. I need to... keep looking."

"You can try at the bar if you'd like. As long as you're with me and don't try to order anything I'm sure no one will mind."

"I-- thanks."

Zaizen says nothing further, just heads off down the street and Shoichi hurries to catch up.

The bar is a cramped little hole in the wall called Ace that is clearly closed for the night when they arrive. Run by a woman easing gracefully through middle age who smiles gently and says, "I don't have room for another, Zaizen-kun," as they approach.

"He just needs information, not a place to stay, Aya-san," Zaizen replies, nodding to Shoichi who somewhat awkwardly pulls the photo from his pocket and sets it down on the bar in front of her.

"That's my brother. He went missing... it's almost been three months now."

An entirely unwanted lump lodges itself in the back of his throat. He's getting so tired doing this night after night and every so often a traitorous thought swims to the surface of his mind that it's all pointless. It's been three months. Odds are Jin is dead....

He hates himself for thinking that.

"I'm sorry. I haven't--"

Shoichi's knees wobble a bit under him and he all but collapses onto the nearest barstool. The lump in his throat expanding, leaving him trying to gasp for air around it even though this is nothing he hasn't heard before. The disappointment shouldn't be choking him, reducing him to something that is almost but not quite ragged hiccupping sobs.

They're not actual sobs. He has to believe that he's not breaking down. Not right here.

He's just so tired.

"Look, I have a printer with a scanner in the office," Aya says, tapping one manicured finger against the photo lying on the bartop. "I'll make a copy and ask my regulars." She shoots Zaizen a look, as if to say, "keep an eye on your friend," and he frowns slightly before nodding.

Shoichi can't do anything but struggle to breathe.

For a moment there's silence save for the faint rasp of Shoichi taking deep, gasping, breaths, then Zaizen asks, "Where are your parents?" so blunt and indifferently that an angry flush stains Shoichi's cheeks. Fury and frustration enough to burn away the last of the pain clogging his windpipe.

"Where are yours?" Shoichi snaps back, his voice raw and hoarse, and without even the slightest shame or hesitation Zaizen replies, "Dead. Your turn."

For a moment Shoichi is too shocked to speak, although he's not sure why. Of course Zaizen is alone in the world; he wouldn't be caring for a girl Aoi's age by himself otherwise. After a moment he regains his composure though. Stuttering, "Th- they're at home. I sneak out at night, search around, work a few hacking jobs, and get back before sunup." Despite himself a stiff smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes touches Shoichi's lips. "I get a couple hours sleep before I need to get ready for school and then another few hours at night before I head out. I'm pretty sure my parents just think I'm depressed because of what happened and sleeping too much. They have no idea."

"Obviously."

Zaizen's tone is dry, but there's a faint thread of judgement there and Shoichi glares. Fuck Zaizen Akira. His first impression of the guy was dead on, he's an absolute prick. "So, what? You going to tell me to go home and forget this?"

"Why? I can tell you won't listen. Although you should."

"Oh really? And would you sit quietly at home if something happened to your sister?"

Zaizen says nothing and another strained silence falls until Aya steps back out of the office, returning the photo to Shoichi who hastily tucks it back into his pocket, muttering his thanks as he leaves.

Every few weeks (until Jin is found, nowhere near the back alleys where he's searching) Shoichi heads to Ace to see if there's any news. Zaizen there as well every so often and he can't say they become friends. Shoichi is too distracted, too damaged, by his worry to want friends and the more he sees of Zaizen the more evident it is that the older boy is too focused, too intent in dragging himself up and into a better life to care about friends either.

But they're nodding acquaintances and they sometimes talk when Aya convinces him to sit and take a breather and, "For heaven's sake, Kusanagi-kun, eat something. You're probably barely eating at all when you're at home, aren't you?" Shoichi indulging her, just to stop her from prodding and fussing.

"I've been keeping an ear to the ground as well," Zaizen says one night. The bar is closed (it usually is when he decides to swing by) and it's getting close to when Shoichi should start heading back home so he doesn't get caught, but at the moment he's too tired to move. Poking aimlessly at the bowl of peanuts Aya set out for him. "I promise if I hear anything I'll let you know."

"You don't really have to."

"Giving up?"

Those two words, so obnoxiously smug and certain, are enough to send a spike of energy through Shoichi and his head jerks upwards just enough for him to glower at Zaizen. "Why the hell would I do that?"

"Well, if you're not interested in help...."

"Maybe I'm just not interested in _your_ help."

"Can you really be choosy?"

Shoichi makes a face. He's being baited. It's obvious he's being baited, although damned if he understands why. Maybe Zaizen is testing his resolve. Maybe he just wants to fuck with him because he's an asshole. Whatever the reason he should stop reacting. Stop giving him the satisfaction.

Shoichi mutters thanks and stands to leave, although in the end it doesn't matter. Another month passes and then Jin is found and brought home, broken to the point where he may never be whole again. Something in Shoichi goes dark and cold. He moves on to revenge....

And years after that he sees Zaizen Akira's name listed as the head of security for Link Vrains and remembers.


End file.
